Chapter Text
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Commander,
I’m glad to see you got logged in alright. I know this is a lot to take in, but the Archives should be set up on this console if you want to look through some of what has gone on since HQ fell, and there’s a link on the desktop to the intranet that Shen set up last month. It still has some bugs, but she can get you sorted out if you have any issues.
I know it was a rough awakening, getting pulled to Research and then straight into it, but it’s good to see you back to yourself.
CO Bradford
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Hey Central,
I appreciate you checking in. It’s a lot to take in, for sure, but with any luck I can make myself useful sooner rather than later.
It’s good to be back, and thanks again for looking for me all these years. I’ll make it worthwhile.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Commander,
I know it’s late, but I just remembered someone who can help Tygan setting up those radio relays to reach more distant camps. It’s a long story, and we might need some help from Shen to make sure he doesn’t screw us all over by dropping encryption or ringing the dinner bell, but we found someone a couple of years ago with a talent for getting communications out. He’s somewhere nearby, and shouldn’t be too much of a diversion to go scoop up.
Bradford
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Dinner bell? This a reaper friend of yours?
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Not a friend so much as a very chatty contact. He had a bad setup a couple of years ago and got us intro trouble, I’ll send you over the field reports in the morning. Just, whatever you do, don’t get him talking about old music. He’s no singer.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Commander,
I wanted to speak with you about today, and what Tygan said about being used for simulations for ADVENT. You didn’t seem to react much when he told you, how are you holding up?
Central
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
I don’t think it was as much of a shock as it should have been. Come over to my room when you have a moment, and I’ll try to explain.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Commander,
I know you’re only just back from the last sortie, but you should know that the troops are talking about Tygan’s discovery last week - about you running simulations while you were in the suit. I want to get ahead of it - it’s not like before, when some of them thought you were a mole. Most of them are impressed, and there’s a lot of chatter that it only shows how good our position is now and how much damage we’re going to cause. We don’t know who talked, but it’s probably one of the lab coats. There’s a couple of rookies that are still unsure, but Tygan and I are working to keep discipline and Shen is giving Engineering and the Specialists a rundown of what it involved and how you were out of it. It might take a while to settle down, but we’re handling it.
Central
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Hey Central,
These emails are getting too clunky to chat when we’re rarely apart anyway. I got Shen to set up an intranet messaging system like the ones from the old world, like mIRC. I’ll add you just now.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
MIRC? Could you try that on me again? It’s been a while since my online days.
Chapter Text
<CMDR> Hey there
<XO> Commander?
<CMDR> The same. This should be a more immediate way to talk when something’s up rather than going all the way through the fuss of Dear/Yours Sincerely
<CMDR> For being too old to remember messaging apps I’m surprised email etiquette floated around in your head all this time
<XO> …
<XO> Thanks.
<CMDR> Where do you sleep now? Did I take your room?
<XO> It was always your quarters, I never moved in.
So where do you sleep? Cant see your name on the schematics
<XO> I bunk in the engine room. It’s away from people, strategically important, and the noise helps me sleep light.
<CMDR> Radiation?
<XO> Shen’s already been through with the scanner, it’s all clean
<CMDR> We’re going to have to find you somewhere better than a camp bed in engineering
<CMDR> You’re hardly going to do your best work with all the noise keeping you from actually resting
<XO> I’m fine
<CMDR> Dont argue
<CMDR> Where did you get the chair from?
<XO> ?
<CMDR> The command chair. Its just like the old ones from HQ, havent seen any others like it on the Avenger
<XO> We found it years ago, on an old Interceptor.
<XO> I think its been to Engineering though, it’s been through a few unsanctioned alterations.
<XO> Cup holder definitely used to be on the other side.
<CMDR> haha, you think Lily was pranking you?
<CMDR> and does that mean you travelled around with it? Didn’t take you for such a sentimentalist
<XO> You should have seen the amount of things we took from place to place. This was nothing compared to the bits of propulsion and scanning systems.
<CMDR> Still, its nice to have something of those days still around
<XO> Apart from me, you mean
<CMDR> You’ve had a fair few upgrades yourself, Central
<XO> Commander, the scanner just finished sweeping the operation Betos told us about. There’s a viper with them
<XO> Chances are slim, but it might be one of the King’s girlfriends.
<CMDR> Lets go - how long?
<XO> We should be there in a few hours. I’ll let you know once I’ve input the flight plan
<CMDR> Okay, ill be with you asap
<CMDR> Its strange to be on the bridge alone
<XO> Alone? There’s a whole crew with you
<CMDR> First off you’re supposed to be asleep
<CMDR> I guess Im used to you being over my shoulder the whole time. Not that I can blame you for being up all night evading that saucer
<CMDR> Good job, by the way. But you could have sent for firebrand
<XO> Miss me?
<CMDR> Maybe :[ What do you get up to when im not around
<XO> Much the same. Logistics.
<CMDR> Feels like you’re always watching the back of my neck. Worried im still advent? I dont think I have a scar like tygan
<XO> Never. It feels
<XO> nostalgic. It’s been a long time
<CMDR> You only worked with me for what, a few months?
<XO> Some people feel like they’re always going to be there.
<CMDR> can you come to the ring?
<XO> In engineering. What’s the issue?
<CMDR> It looks like outrider made a comment about psionics when she unveiled her stuffed warlock, and spook heard it and reported back. Now volk and geist are unloading on each other over comms and pulling us into it
<XO> Damnit
<CMDR> I can handle geist, but you were out in the field with volk for years. Can you talk him down?
<XO> Yeah im omw
<CMDR> How are you doing? You were pretty quiet this morning
<XO> Don’t worry about me. I’ve just got a lot to take in
<XO> dont you dare
<CMDR> I would never
<XO> I’m fine. And I made it back without passing anyone, unless the specs have more cameras up I haven’t found yet
<XO> Never thought I’d have to do a walk of shame through my own ship
<CMDR> I’ll do the next one, make it fair
<XO> Now that would be something
<CMDR> See you on the bridge, C
<XO> The Doc’s calling you in for another medical to make sure the suit didn’t mess you up more the second time
<XO> He says you’ve been avoiding him
<CMDR> Been poked and prodded at enough, im fine
<XO> Well, it would make me feel better. We don’t really know what it does, and you’d recovered enough from the first time that we can’t risk that progress
<CMDR> I can see you still typing, john. Ill go see him this evening.
<XO> Thank you
<CMDR> You, me, the skyranger, tonight
<XO> What?
<CMDR> You’ve been more wound up now the elders are dead than you were as a rebel. We don’t have to be on the whole time, you dont have to organise every cell. we’re making big progress and most of the districts are coming back under control. Lets get out of here, get anywhere. Time to delegate
<XO> You know what, you’re on.
<CMDR> Good. But im flying.
psychomachia on Chapter 2 Fri 06 Dec 2024 08:48AM UTC
Comment Actions
EdwinRika on Chapter 2 Mon 30 Dec 2024 06:09PM UTC
Comment Actions